this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2024
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I've had a fitbit wifi bathroom scale for a while. Getting the data out got suddenly more difficult when Google bought them, and I didn't love giving that data to google. It's finally died, and I'm looking at replacement options.

In a perfect world, I could just go to a store and buy a "HomeAssistant Ready" scale. If I can't have that, I'd like a scale that is on my local network and exposes the last x weigh-ins as an API on the device, then I could write something to poll it.

I haven't seen anything like those, but have turned up:

  • a project to decode the bluetooth transmissions of a number of scales (after you build an ESP32 device for it)
  • the Withings cloud based scale, but with a well documented API

Any other good options?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 days ago

I'm using the Xiaomi "Mi Body competition 2" together with https://github.com/lolouk44/hassio-addons/tree/master/mi-scale and am reasonably satisfied with it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

I have a Wyze scale, it's well made and easy to export the data via email automatically.

[–] [email protected] 41 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (4 children)

I use Tasker to log my weight to a Google Sheets spreadsheet, and just use a dumb scale.

The only piece of technology in my house is a toaster from 1982, and I keep a loaded shotgun next to it just in case it makes a noise I don't recognize.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

The only technology in my house is me, and I keep a loaded shotgun next to me in case I make a noise I don't recognize.

(Am I doing this right?)

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

What if the shotgun makes a noise you don't recognize? Hit it with the toaster?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

If my shotgun starts making strange noises, I check the brownies.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I do similar with a shortcut on my phone to a NocoDB Form.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 1 week ago (3 children)

If you can find an old working Wii Fit Balance Board you can use it as a very accurate Bluetooth scale.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago

It's interesting how old console tech comes back around to be useful for other stuff. I've used a couple Xbox Kinects to do 3D scanning and with an augmented reality sand box.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Did you do that?
If yes, could you share some info about it?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago

Looks like a few folks have

https://github.com/schellingb/WiiBalanceScale

https://github.com/aelveborn/Wii-Scale

Going to have to try this out myself!

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

Really? That’s a good idea.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

I have a withings and I really like it. Their privacy policy made me feel better about allowing my info on the cloud. You can run it offline (it sends weight via Bluetooth to the app but won't show 7-day trend an scale screen without wifi). I don't mind that, so I leave it disconnected. I don't use a home assistant though so I can't speak to that part.

I have the withings watch also, so I use the app as my catch all health tracker which works well. it's nice to have everything together. Can't speak to any others but I'd recommend withings.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 days ago

I also have been using a Withings scale for the past 4 years and it has been great. I also got it primarily because of the privacy policy.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago

I went from Fitbit to Withings, that Fitbit scale was nothing but pain. Every time my battery started getting low it would disconnect from Wi-Fi and I have to re pair it. It was inconsistent, If you pick it up and move it a foot to the left you get a completely different reading than if you just leave it where it sits. Because of the messed up fluctuations, It constantly identified the wrong person in the house.

Had the Withings scale for 4 years now and it's just been fine.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Wait what I thought this was satire at first

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

you can't even poke fun at selfhosted people anymore because someone WILL 100% spend 48 hours straight 3d printing and programming a toothbrush
edit: you have to be kidding me https://kuenzi.dev/toothbrush/

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

That would be a fun thread. What’s the most unnecessary self hosted thing you’ve seen someone host or host

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

I thought this one was dumb too https://lemm.ee/post/49060797

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I zoomed in on the screen because I just assumed this was a meme.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago (3 children)

It doesn't sync to homeassistant, but I use a Xiaomi scale with openScale off of F-Droid. There's a few different scales supported: https://github.com/oliexdev/openScale/wiki/Supported-scales-in-openScale

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Can you just get a normal scale? I just have a mechanical one from the last century

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

How do you automatically compile the daily readings into an excel file with graphs? Raspberry pi running opencv sending the time series to influx db and then grafana generate graphs for you home assistant health monitoring dashboard, along with the blood pressure monitor, continuous glucose monitor, pee ketone content, the pills dispenser and the rest of your fitness regimen?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I don't know what you are trying to say. (Your sentence is a run on)

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I mean, yes, I could. But I'm committed to the #selfhosted life where I spend hours building unnecessarily complicated systems to make my life easier in small ways.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I can't help, I wish I could, but I'm curious. Why a smart scale? Why not just any dumb scale from Bed Bath and Beyond?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

I like data, I like tech, I like investing large amounts of time and energy to self-host things that muggles would not bother with.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 week ago (6 children)

I'd guess automatic history tracking. Step on it every morning and it'll automatically save your weight to Home Assistant or whatever so you can see if you're gaining/losing over time.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

I suppose that makes sense, honestly I just go with "more/less than last time" lol. If I went more in depth with it I'd probably use a pen and paper.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

Cumulatively pen and paper will add up to more effort. And I would person give up at some point. It would probably never enter my daily jabits. Realistically if on the scale everyday, the changes are so minute you won't notice the monthly and longer duration trends.

It's really surprising there isn't a no bullshit option you could just buy

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I don't keep track of my weight so I could be wrong here, but more/less than last time wouldn't be very helpful as your weight can vary by the day. You need a trend over weeks to really see what's going on. I definitely wouldn't use pen/paper as it's just too much data to organize and graph, but excel would be a reasonable alternative.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I think looking at openscale would be worthwhile:

https://github.com/oliexdev/openScale/wiki

Looks like it can push to mqtt? Huh, that's new to me.

Also, if you want HA, there's this:

https://github.com/lolouk44/hassio-addons/blob/master/mi-scale/DOCS.md

Good luck!

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I got a Xiaomi scale 2 (years ago) and that works with the OpenScale app. It's Free Software. There is a list of supported bluetooth low-energy scales by that project/app.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

Quick google search it seems your only options for HA are Xiaomi scales with bluetooth paired to a mcu with esphome.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago

Not local, but I’ve been using my withings scale for at least 5 years, and I sync the weights with its home assistant automation from the withings api, then plot the data on a custom health dashboard I made.

I’d love a local alternative, but regardless I haven’t had any problems with my setup.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (4 children)

I have a Xiaomi scale connected through an esp Bluetooth proxy. Works pretty well.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

OpenScale works great and kind of does what you want. If you have an old Android phone laying around you can have it persistently connected to a cheap Bluetooth scale. Functional, but at a much have higher power cost than an ESP32 solution. Automated database exports to a local file (on the android device) and Syncthing can move your data around for analysis.

The good folks over at Gadgetbridge might have a solution too, although their list of supported scales looks pretty short.

You might also look into making a project like rmfakecloud to trick your Fitbit device into pushing data to a local server.

Not sure about home assistant though, I've never used it.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 week ago

I have a withings scale and it's great so far.
Like you, I had a Fitbit one, and I find it sucked and was very unreliable.

It's worth noting that there is a withings home assistant integration

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

I don’t have any options for you but make sure you get one that doesn’t use battery when not in use. It’s really annoying replacing those little coin batteries all the time even though you only use it like .001% of the time

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

I’ve had a withings scale for like 5 or 6 years, use trendweight.com for a graph, I haven’t had any problems with it besides replacing the batteries every year or so

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago
[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 week ago

I have a cheap $20 1byone scale from Amazon but it’s actually fantastic.

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